Black Tea
by Miss Dani Lips
Summary: When the tooth fairy gets suspicious of the boogeyman's dental care, she pays him a visit. What she doesn't expect are burned bridges to have been mended and an interesting story to unfold. (roleplay combo of tooth-guardian-of-memories [myself] and darklingking)
1. Chapter 1

"Hello there, Pitch!" Tooth smiled. "I'm hoping you've been flossing well?"

"Hello, Tooth." Pitch tried to look nonchalant and keep up a facade of boredom, but he was actually quite pleased to see her. "I have been.. but it's no business of yours whether I take care for my teeth or not."

"Oh, I think it is most definitely my business!" she winked, floating over. "Can I get a nice little peek in?" she smiled.

A puff of air escaped Pitch's lips and he straightened and stood to back away from her. "I do not wish you to inspect my teeth.. Keep your hands off my person." In truth, the close contact would fluster him, but he allowed her to think it was because he didn't want her to touch him.

"Aw, c'mon, Pitchy," she chimed, fluttering closer to him. "Just one little peek? It won't hurt, I promise!" she teased, grabbing onto the collar of his robe.

Pitch's eyes widened and he pulled back, yanking her grip off his collar. "No.. please don't." He would be both rather annoyed and rather embarrassed if she touched his mouth, as he preferred not to let anyone near it for the most part. He continued to back away from her until he had hit a wall, then edged along it to find an escape. His cheeks were now slightly flushed, but he hoped she didn't notice.

"Oh, okay, fine," she pouted, backing away a little. She folded her arms and looked him up and down. She furrowed her brows, almost squinting at him. "You are brushing at least twice a day, aren't you?"

Pitch stopped backing away, but eyed her warily as she scrutinized him. "Yes, I have been. I.. I suppose if you want to look and check, I shall allow you too.." He mumbled, sighing and looking down with annoyance. Perhaps if she saw his teeth, she wouldn't bother him so much about them. His teeth were a sore subject for him, but he might as well get it over with to spare himself any further humiliation.

"Oh, so you're going to let me see?" she sounded surprised. "I was honestly just readying myself for you to put up a fight!" she chuckled. She came in close, gently looking in. "Well, Mr. Pitchiner, your teeth have gotten sufficiently cleaner and whiter! Maybe you don't want me coming around so often after all?" she winked.

Pitch had allowed her to look into his mouth, his cheeks flushed and his body tense. When she released him, he shrugged and looked down, his expression dark as he tried to hide his embarrassment. "Perhaps you don't have to visit for my teeth, no…" He decided that it might ruin his reputation he admitted that he enjoyed her company, so he stopped himself there. He straightened and smirked at her, all traces of humiliation gone. "Well, now that you've done that and seemed satisfied by the result, are you going to leave?"

"Not visit for your teeth? What would I visit you for then?" she laughed. She had never stopped by for any other reasons than to check on his teeth. His lair was dark and cold, and there were no bright colours like there were in her Palace.

"Hmm.. I don't know. Don't stop by at all then, not for any other reasons at all. Now that you can rest assured my teeth are properly cared for, you have no reason to." He huffed, once again annoyed. He did have other rooms in his lair that were more brightly furnished, but he didn't show them off often. Perhaps one day he'd show her, but today wasn't the day. He waved a hand at her dismissively and turned away. "Shoo, off with you. I am sure you're busy…"

"Actually, uhm, I'm not busy. The girls didn't have much to collect tonight, so that's why I paid you a visit," she trailed off, looking down at her feet. "But I understand if you'd like me to leave." She exhaled deeply, turning for the door out.

Pitch's brows shot up at this. "Really? You're not?" Did that mean that she wanted to spend time with him specifically? Hmm.. perhaps she shared his hidden affections? His mind was filled with these thoughts, but he quickly dismissed them as folly. No, he wouldn't allow himself to entertain this notion, especially if it didn't mean what he hoped it did. "I.. I uh.. I suppose I wouldn't mind if you stayed.. though I don't suppose I'd have anything to entertain you with. I could brew some tea, perhaps?"


	2. Chapter 2

"Sure! I'd love to stay!" she smiled. Her pink eyes took in the bleak darkness of the room they were currently in. Maybe there were some other things in his home that were a little more brighter, she hoped. "Oh yes! I love tea!" she chimed, clasping her hands together.

Pitch's jaw worked as he debated showing her the somewhat cheerier and homey part of his lair. She'd never been privy to seeing it and he himself wondered at his sudden kindness. He'd never come close to confessing his feelings for her or letting her in, so why start now? Finally he made his choice. He started walking slowly and gestured over his shoulder. "Please come, less damp and dreary accommodations are this way. There is where we shall have our tea."

She followed Pitch where he led her into a brand new room, and lo and behold there was colour. It was an interesting contrast to the large amounts of grey from the other room she was in. Tooth's eyes darted around the room taking in every new feature of this foreign place. "What kind of tea are we having?" she questioning innocently. "Black, green, white? Ginger, lemon, honey, eletheuro, chai? Earl grey, breakfast, apple, raspberry?" she excitedly named them off.

Pitch couldn't help but chuckle at her excitement as he motioned for her to sit on nearby chair. "Any kind you wish, as I have any and all of those. Make your choice and I shall go prepare it."

"Hmm," she said aloud, pondering which type she would like. There we so many to choose from! "Well, if you have every kind, then I guess I'll pick a honey vanilla white chai,' she smiled, settling with her complicated delicious mixed tea. She slowed down the fluttering of her wings until she lightly touched down onto the floor. She took a few steps around, feeling the ground beneath her feet. "I mean, if that's okay with you?" she turned, asking.

Pitch nodded. "That sounds rather nice, actually. Similar to my favorite. Of course I have it and that's fine." He was steadily warming up to her presence, and he watched her a moment as she took in their surroundings, pleased that she seemed to like how he'd decorated the place. He gestured towards a chair and smiled at her. "Please sit, and I will return shortly." He then turned and strode into the nearby kitchen, filling a teapot and setting it on the stove to heat and then pulling two mugs down from the shelf and placing two tea bags in them. He left them on the counter and returned to the other room, moving to sit on a chair across from her and then crossing his legs. He wasn't quite sure what to talk about with her now, since he'd never actually had her here as a guest and most of their previous encounters had been hostile. "So… how are things at the palace?" He said, somewhat lamely. He couldn't think of anything else to start off their conversation with.

She sat down in an overly plush chair, one that looked too soft for Pitch's home. "Well, things have definitely calmed down since, well, you know," she said, tilting her head towards him. "But things are well. The girls have been extra quick at filing all the teeth, and it's been a lot less stressful since, well, you know," she tilted her head again. "But we are beyond that now," she smiled, folding her hands. "So how are things under the bed?" she smiled, attempting at lifting the mood.

"Hmm…" Yes, he knew, He was glad that she didn't really bring up that particular incident. He was still somewhat resentful about what happened and his resentment flashed across his face a moment before he replaced it with a crooked half smile. "Same as always, I suppose. You would never believe how filthy some people can be. Dust bunnies are something I'm used to, but discarded underpants? No.. I don't like that.. don't like that at all.. and those aren't even the worst things I've found." Pitch shudders slightly at the thought. "Which is why I prefer closets or simply the shadows now.. less filth. Though some closets are rather dirty.. but at least I don't have to lay down in the mess."

"Underpants?" Tooth laughed, covering her mouth with a hand. "Oh my, now that is definitely not something I'd want to be around! Well, dirty ones at least," she teased. "I can't imagine what else you've found. So I do believe closets are better than that. Though there are some children I've visited personally who were in desperate need of a cleanup, or at least in need of doing some laundry! I mean, who doesn't love the smell of freshly clean linen?" she smiled. "Or vanilla, mmm," she mused, closing her eyes and envisioning the scent. "I'd say vanilla is one of my most favourite smells, but I do love the smell of butterfly flowers, oh, and cinnamon! And fresh tea leaves before they're soaked. And freshly baked bread. Now I'm just making myself hungry!" she giggled, hands still innocently hovering over her mouth as she laughed. She kicked up her feet, fitting them comfortably next to her on the plush chair, leaning over the arm rest, her first resting gently on her chin. "But I also love deep lavender, and the smell of the forest, and even deep musky smells," she sighed, letting her imagination of scents go wild. "I'm sure you must have some favourite smells? Or really favourites of anything? Let loose here, Pitchy. Talk to me, tell me about you," she leaned in towards him, eager to listen.

"Well, yes, it would be nice to find a closet smelling of fresh flowers or something sweet, but it doesn't happen near often enough." Pitch's lips curled back from his teeth at the thought. "Closets often smell of must, mold, mothballs, and dirty socks.. and believe me, all that is usually better than the smells that come from under a bed." Though his thoughts were fouled by the memories of those horrid smells and sights, he couldn't help but be cheered by her happy rambling and he found that he didn't mind a bit. He chuckled and nodded. "Yes, all those smells are rather pleasant, though the deep, musky ones you speak of are the ones I most likely prefer. I like the smells of old books, strong coffee, and chocolate. I have quite the weakness for chocolate, especially dark chocolate. The bitterness of it suits me, though the small bit of sweetness that comes with it does as well."

She cringed at the mention of those most unpleasant odors, but smiled when he mentioned his own personal favourites. "I love the smell of old books! But I think I love the smell of new books better, thought I'm not sure why. Chocolate you say? I like chocolate, too, but I'm more of a milky chocolate fan myself. I'm more into fruity sweets than chocolates, and I know Bunnymund would be on my case comparing sweets to chocolates, you know how he is," she laughed. She rolled over onto her back, propping her head up on the arm rest and dangling her legs over the other arm rest. "Is the tea ready yet? I like mine sweetened!" she smiled brightly.

Pitch was just about to reply when the whistle of the tea kettle sounded in the kitchen. "Ah, now it is! I will bring the container of sugar out for you so you can measure out the amount yourself. I don't take any in mine myself, so I am not sure how much would be suitable to your tastes. I will return shortly."

He stood, then quickly strode into the kitchen. He poured the steaming tea from the kettle into each of their cups and placed them on a tray along with the sugar and some cookies he had set aside for guests. His mood had brightened considerably since her arrival and he strode back into the room with a smile on his face and the tray in his hands. He set it down in front of her with a flourish and picked up his own cup, blowing on it a bit to cool it as he sat back down. "There you go. Is there anything else you would like with your tea?"

"Thank you very much," she smiled, taking the warm cup in her hands. "Nope, I think this should be good. I take milk in my black tea, but I only sweeten my chais." She took the small silver spoon and scooped two spoonfuls of sugar in her tea before stirring it around mixing then contents together. She placed the spoon back on to the tray then lifted the cup to her lips. She sipped quietly, closing her eyes as the liquid splashed her tongue. "This tea is wonderful, Pitch!" Her wings started to a flutter a bit in her excitement. "I must admit, you are an excellent tea maker!" She reached over and grabbed a cookie, shoving it into her mouth.

Pitch chuckled softly and took a sip of his own tea. "Thank you, even though tea isn't very hard to make in the slightest." He sighed with contentment and leaned back. Drinking tea always soothed him and made him feel more at ease. "Hmm…." He sat there quietly for a moment, staring into his tea cup as his thoughts began to wander. Then he realized that he was being rude and returned his gaze to his guest, a smile gracing his features once again. He still was having a hard time thinking of pleasant conversation topics. This situation was still odd for him, having a pleasant encounter with any of the guardians besides Jack. She was actually one of the first who actually had talked to him in quite some time besides the winter spirit. "So.. how are the other guardians faring?"

"It may be quick and simple to make, but you would be surprised at how many can make it badly," she raised her cup, taking in the sweet aroma before sipping again. "Ah, the other Guardians?" she said a little hesitantly. She was unsure of how much trust she could put in him. After all, his nature was very cunning and sly. "Well, Sandy and I are pretty busy on a daily basis, you know, same old same old. North has been preparing for Christmas, as is Bunny to Easter. This year Bunny is trying to outdo North. It's quite funny, actually. I'm not quite sure who is going to win. Either way, North wouldn't admit defeat to a Pooka. Jack's been, well, Jack. Freezing things and causing glorious mayhem," she finished with another sip and swallow of her tea. "What have you been doing since, well, uhm, you know?"

Pitch scoffed and shook his head, a smirk quirking at his lips. He'd been making tea for so long, he couldn't imagine how anyone could mess it up unless they were using one of the more complicated tea preparation methods, and even those weren't difficult in the least.

He noted her hesitance and wasn't surprised by it. The fact that she was even spending time with his in this moment still caused him a small bit of wonder, especially considering their past and what he'd done. He nodded and leaned forward slightly, listening intently. "Yes, of course. Same old same old."His face fell slightly at her last question, for he'd actually been having quite a bit of a hard time. His Nightmares had been much fewer in number since his fall, which made things much harder in him. He'd slowly been replenishing their numbers, but the process was both a tedious and a long one.

He didn't want to admit to weakness in front of her. Instead, he waved his hand in the air nonchalantly and hoped she hadn't his fleeting expression. "Same as usual, as with everyone else. Not much has changed."

"Ah, well at least there's been no more break ins to my Palace," she smirked. She looked around at the room again. There was such an air of mystery about his lair. Part of her wanted to ask about everything, so explore through his other hidden chambers and see what other surprises hid behind each door. But it was enough that she had even been invited in by him. She wanted to trust him, as she had seen back into the memories of his teeth, but there was still a frenzied air of corruption that she didn't think he was able to ever break from. But this relaxed, mannerable Pitch she liked. She ran her finger down the plush armchair she sat in, its colour drastically contrasting to her own.

Pitch breathed a silent sigh of relief when she hadn't noticed his partial lie nor his slight discomfort. A small smile returned to his lips at her reference but otherwise said nothing about it. Now was time to leave such things in the past.

He watched her closely, wondering what she was thinking as she looked around the room. She did seem to enjoy his furnishings quite a bit. Perhaps he could show he more of his home. He wondered a bit at his sudden hospitality, though it wasn't too uncommon.. he did try to be a good host whenever he could. "Would.. would you like me to show you around?" He offered, somewhat hesitantly.


	3. Chapter 3

"Oh," she said, realizing she has sort of spaced off. "Sure, I'd love to look around! I was actually just thinking about that, looking around I mean. This room is just so different from the other room I've seen a few times, it just had me curious. But if you'd like to share, then I wouldn't decline!" she said, swirling the last drops of tea around in her cup before swigging them down and placing her cup gently down on the tray.

Pitch continued to watch her closely, smirking when she finished her tea so quickly. He glanced down into his still half-full cup, then took another sip before he set it down on the tray beside hers. "Well… if you're done, I will show you." He gestured to her empty cup and the still full plate of cookies. "Would you like more, or are you finished?"

"Hmm, I think I'm good for now. We can make more later if we want," she smiled. Her wings picked her up from the great plush chair and set her back down in front of him. "Ready when you are," she smiled.

Pitch smiled at her and stood, picking up the tray. "Let me take care of this first, then we'll be off." He strode into the kitchen and deposited the tray on the nearest counter, then met her back in the other room. "I'll show you the guest rooms first, then we'll go from there. Perhaps next we will visit my treasure and antiques room." He began to walk in the direction of a long, tall hallway and he gestured for her to follow him. "Come."

She nodded her head in appreciation as he took the tray away to the kitchen. When he returned and asked her to follow him, she politely obliged. She followed his long trailing robes down a dark, cavernous hallway. Feeling a bit spooked, she had to remind herself that she was not alone and that Pitch was here to make sure none of his Fearlings or Nightmare Men sensed her small bit of fear and came lurking out to smell fresh meat. She squinted in the dark, not being able to see anything at all. How could Pitch see in absolute blackness? She wondered. Instinctively she reached for his arm and held him by the crook of his elbow. She looked up to him, of what at least she could see, and gave him a sheepish smile hoping he would see that she was looking to him for protection.

The dark hallway led into one that was more furnished, bearing rich tapestries and and decorations that varied between mostly royal blues and purples. The furniture in it was stained a deep mahogany color. He enjoyed cooler and dark colors the most, and much of his home was decorated with them aside from the areas that were decorated with shades of rich vermilion or gold.

Pitch sensed her fear and turned to smile at her reassuringly. "You have no need to fear, you will come to no harm as long as you are with me. Even if you stray, the most you have to worry about is getting lost for I have ordered my Nightmares and fearlings not to harm you." He allowed her to take his arm, realizing that she couldn't see very well. As they went, he switched on the small gas torches that lined the walls.

Quite some time later, he led her back into the they'd originally sat in. "..And those were my guest chambers." The tour had consisted so far of visiting the numerous guest rooms (There were about 25-30) and traveling the halls between, all of them decorated differently. "Now, shall we go visit my treasure room?"

"Wow, those were really pretty. I'm especially fond of the blues and greens you have," she smiled, hovering slightly above the ground. "Although, I might be a bit biased," she chuckled. "Ah, you have a treasure room?" her brows rose. "Do you collect things or…?" she left the end of her question up in the air and she turned to face Pitch in the direction he was taking.

Pitch nodded, pleased that she'd seemed to enjoy his furnishings. "Those are some of my favorite colors myself, along with the deep reds and violets." His expression grew proud and he indicated the direction the treasure room was in. "Yes. I collect many things and I have over the centuries. It is quite large. And if you promise not to break anything, I shall allow you to see it." He said, his last words teasing though he was half serious. He possessions meant a lot to him, as he'd spent countless centuries procuring them.

"Of course I'm not going to break anything, silly," she teased, hovering above the ground. She followed him once again down another cavernous hallway, similar to the other one she went down earlier. It was again just as dark and she felt just as spooked, grasping his arm again to help her be guided. "How many room and hallways do you have?" she pondered. His lair was much bigger than she anticipated and it made her curious.

Pitch once again began lighting the small torches along the walls. Though the light should have made it so she didn't need to grasp him for guidance, he still allowed her to do so. His heart warmed by her trust of him as it had before, so he didn't mind her touch in the least. He glanced at her, a half smile tugging at his lips. "Even I myself have lost count, but the rooms along amount to at least 40. I am not sure about the hallways, however. Perhaps I should take the time to count sometime."

At the end of the hallway, they came to a huge set of guided doors, each decorated with various designs. On closer inspection, you can see that they were modeled after Auguste Rodin's work, The Gates of Hell. How fitting for the King of Nightmares.

"Well, here we are." A smile touched his lips as he gazed at the intricate and detailed work. He was rather proud of it, despite it not being the original He placed his hand on the door and pushed, soon revealing a large room that resembled the interior of a museum, though the objects and treasures inside were much closer together than they would be in a actual exhibit. He led her inside, then opened his arms wide and gestured to the room around them. "What do you think?"

The doors to his treasury spooked her a bit, but she guessed that was the reaction the artist would want from their audience. She floated inside of the room careful not to bump into everything. His collection spanned across the mass of the room. A mysterious shadow was cast from every artifact by the small flames of the candles around. Her eyes opened wide, taking in every detail of his treasures. "This is quite impressive," she sighed looking back to him. "How did you manage to collect all of them?"

Pitch lowered his arms and stepped up to her, pleased by her reaction. "When one has lived as many centuries as I, one has more than enough time to collect such treasures. Some of these are rather rare." He ran his finger delicately over a nearby statue, one that appeared as if it was probably from around the Neolithic era. He'd acquired them a multitude of ways. not all of which were honest.. though the ratio bought objects to thieved objects was more than what might possibly have been thought.

"Well, this collection is mighty fine," she said circling around the room in the air. She was careful on where she fluttered her wings so she wouldn't disturb his treasures. She eyed his statues and studied over his riches. After taking it all in, she touched down back in front of him. "Thank you for showing me this," she smiled, gesturing to the open room. "Have you got any other interesting rooms to show me as well?"

"I'm glad you like it." He smiled at her and extended his arm for her to take again. "Well, if you wish, I can show you my library. It's rather vast, though probably not quite as impressive as this one. I would offer to show you my cage room, but you have seen it before and I highly doubt you'd want to see it again." Pitch chuckled softly, a wry smile touching at his lips. "There are quite a few more rooms, but many of them are similar to those you have already seen and the ones that aren't are dungeons or those of a darker nature. Deep tunnels and all that. You probably wouldn't be interested in seeing those."

She gracefully took his arm, pulling up closer to him. "I'd love to see the library. I bet you've got tons of books in there! But where do you sleep? You must have a bedroom or some sort of sleeping quarters?" she asked. "Unless that place is too spooky to visit?" she teased, sticking her tongue out. His lair had many more rooms than her Palace and was filled with more rooms of practical use than hers. She had no collection of books or a treasury as vast as his. She was curious to see everything that she possibly could.

He nodded as he began walking. "I do have many books in it, as I have collected them even more avidly than my many treasures. And I do have sleeping quarters. But, surely you wouldn't want to see my bedroom." He teased, grinning playfully at her. "My library also has a fireplace and a sitting area inside it. One always enjoys a comfortable place to read. What better place is there than a comfortable arm chair near the hearth?" He wished he had more to show her, as he enjoyed fascinating her with the many sights in his home. It pleased him to see her enjoying it so.

"Ah, alrighty then! Show me this grand library then! And that fire better be burning because it's quite chilly down here actually," she said, rubbing her arms to try to warm herself up. Her feathers were thin and were better at keeping her cool than keeping her warm. "Also, I will be a bit disappointed if you don't have one of those big ol' ladders that wheel from shelf to shelf," she winked, following him down another damp hallway dimly lit with small flickering candles. She was beginning to ease up, not being so afraid of the dark. Every so often a Fearling would slither around her ankles and down the opposite ends of the hallway. She looked up and couldn't make out where the ceiling was, or if there even was a ceiling. She figured that she would rather not ask and just leave it to her imagination.

"Yes, I usually have it going when I am at home. It is easier than having to light a fire every time I wish to relax and read a book, which is actually quite often." He glanced at her as they traveled down another long, dark hallway. He wished he could help warm her up.. but alas, due to his cooler temperature, he could not. This bothered him slightly. Not only because of his inability, but because such a thought had crossed his mind. It wasn't that he wouldn't want to have the chance to keep her warm, for it was becoming more and more of a possibility to him as time went on, it was that he really wasn't sure what would happen if they entered into a relationship together. The other guardians would most likely be shocked. A low chuckle threatened to escape his lips at the thought, but he repressed it. He was getting much to far ahead of himself.

He chuckled softly at her next words. "Indeed, I do have one of those. Though I could use my shadows to reach them, I don't mind using the ladder. Also, many of my guests cannot fly as you can, so such a thing is needed." He stopped as they came to another large set of doors, this time of a rich mahogany. "Here we are." He opened the doors and led her inside the vast room that was lines wall to wall with shelves filled with books, obviously as pleased with it as he was with his trophy room. "So, what do you think?"


	4. Chapter 4

A small gasp came out of her mouth as he pushed the large doors open. The room had thousands upon thousands of books bound in all different types of materials. This room was more warmly lit than the others; an orange glow illuminating the room from the large fireplace. She scurried over to the fireplace, kneeling down before it and held out her arms, palms facing the flames. She then pressed her warm hands to her cheeks and sighed. She looked around and the towering shelves all tightly lined with books. She looked over to her far right and noticing a golden ladder fixed at the corner of another shelf. She laughed out loud, turning to look at Pitch who was still leaning on the door. "I love this room!" she exclaimed, folding her hands into her lap. "It just feels so cozy, welcoming. It's-it's very different from the rest of your home. This room just has so much more life," she leaned back, pushing her legs out to the side of her. "I really like it," a smile spread across her face.

Pitch watched her, his arms crossed over his chest and the look on his face almost that of a proud parent as a barely contained grin spread across it. Her delight was so adorable.. almost like a small child's in its innocence and the way she didn't contain any of her joy. That was one things he enjoyed about her.. she was so bright and full of life that she lit up any darkness around her.

He came to sit in a chair near her, a wide smile still on his face. "I'm glad you like it. I thought you would. This is actually my favorite room in my home, despite the simpleness of it. Even more so than my treasure room. Books hold far much more value to me than do most of my other possessions for they are the things that eased my loneliness and boredom the most." He supposed he wouldn't admit to his loneliness at any other time before this, but he felt that now he could be more open with her. He chuckled softly and gazed into the flames a moment, the flickering tongues of them reflecting in his golden eyes. "Perhaps we should of had tea in here in the first place."

"Sometimes I read when I'm bored, too," she said, scooting a little closer, resting her back against the side of the chair. "It's very busy in the Palace, but we do have slow days, believe it or not. I quite like fantasy books. I think it's fun to go on an adventure to a whole different world, you know? Even if it's just imaginary," she sighed. "Tea in here would have been nice, but I might have fallen asleep." Her lids were low. She would watch the fire and have to avert her gaze when her eyelids would get heavy. "My library isn't as vast as yours, just a quaint, petite little place," but I've got this big plus couch, and I find myself falling asleep there more than my own bed," she giggled turning to face him. "But something tells me that you don't sleep often…" Her brows tensed, and the muscles in her cheeks relaxed out of her smile.

"I don't read just when I'm bored, it's quite the lovely pastime. I enjoy the classics myself, but I have read a quite the wide variety over the years. I happen to agree with you. Books can indeed take you to a while new world. One different than you own. One where you can imagine yourself to be different…" He said the last sentence softly, almost more to himself than to her. He occasionally wondered what his life would be like if he wasn't the King of Nightmares, though he kept such thoughts to himself. He couldn't be anything else even if he wanted to be.

As she said those last words, his own brow furrowed. No, he didn't usually sleep well… not at all. His mind was suddenly flooded with horrible memories of the nightmares that kept him awake most times he even attempted sleep and he had to look away from her gaze. He swallowed and changed the subject, trying to shake himself of such thoughts. "I would like to see your library sometime. I'm sure it's just as nice as mine is. Perhaps I can visit your palace as you've visited my own home today, if it wouldn't frighten your fairies."

"Sometimes I like to imagine myself as a human," she rolled her neck back against the arm rest. "You know, a normal human. If I never became a guardian or if I wasn't born with wings. I probably would have become a dentist," she laughed as it would probably be true. "Uhm, sure, I guess you could come by sometime. I'm not sure you'd like the Palace too much though. You've seen it once, and really all of it is bright and colours and I don't know. You like the dark, don't you?" The orange flames reflected in her magenta eyes making them look more sad than they already were. "Pitch, uhm, is there something you'd like to talk about?"

"Though I prefer the darkness, that doesn't mean that color is distasteful to me." That wasn't completely true; for overly bright, neon colors did in fact irk him. But he did enjoy some colors. Even though he was characteristic for his typical black, a lack of color, that didn't mean he was tasteless. Perhaps her Tooth Palace was a little.. bright for him, but that didn't exactly mean he wouldn't mind visiting it. More for her than for anything else, however.

He was silent for a long moment after that; staring deeply into the flames. After what seemed like an eternity, he broke the silence. "I sometimes wonder what my life would be like if I wasn't the way I am too." He said softly, still not looking at her. "I wonder who I was in the past. I don't remember any of it. Not clearly, anyways. I've spent the whole life I've known trying not to be forgotten. Perhaps it is because I have forgotten who I was in the first place."

Upon hearing his response, she knit her brows together and pursed her lips. She was almost unsure what to say. His silence was almost heart-breaking, and she wasn't quite sure what compelled her to do so, but she rose from the floor and embraced him. Her wings were folded limp, and her arms wrapped around his neck. It felt like the right thing to do. Tooth always had an answer for everything or a bit of advice to give, but she had always known who she was and why she was there. She couldn't imagine living in a world where she wouldn't remember who she was. Speechless, she figured that even if she couldn't say anything to help, that just showing him that she cared could be enough to suffice her absence of words. Holding on for a bit longer than she usually would, she slowly pulled away. "If you ever want to talk or anything, you can talk to me. I don't know what help I could ultimately be, but maybe getting it out would make you feel better?" She tried to smile, to help maybe brighten the mood.

Pitch's body tensed as she wrapped her arms around him. He hadn't really expected such a warm and caring gesture and he wasn't sure how to react at first. After a long moment, he brought his arms up and wrapped them around her. His body relaxed and he fully accepted her embrace and he closed his eyes for a brief moment as his formerly buried feelings welled inside of him. Honestly, his confession had made him feel rather vulnerable. He rarely shared such things like that with others, especially those whom he'd previously been in battle with. But it had simply happened.. and he'd let it because it felt right. It felt good to be able to share something like that with a.. dare he say it?.. friend. That did seem to be the direction in which their relationship was going.

He nodded, his emotions evident in his eyes. He swallowed and gave her a small half-smile, looking down a moment to collect himself before meeting her gaze again. "Thank you.. I needed that." He had truly been touched by her gesture. He placed a hand on hers almost hesitantly, his smile widening as he tried to convey his thanks with more than words.

She smiled a small close-lipped smile. "You're welcome," she said softly. That couldn't have been the first hug he'd ever had, she knew that before. But there was something about his hesitancy that showed he hadn't been embraced in a very long time. He had this air of mystery about him, and it was quite obvious that he had a dark past. He had mentioned that his early memories were vague, and maybe he didn't really want to remember, but there was something inside of her that made her want to know more. Or try to know more. She sat gently on the arm rest of his chair, facing the flames. "You once mentioned you had a daughter," she spoke. She had fought herself from saying that, but curiosity got the best of her. She remembered back to hundreds of years ago when the early wars in Punjam Hy Loo took place. That Pitch was a much different Pitch than now. The Pitch she sat with in the library watching the glowing flames with is not the same Pitch that stole the great winged elephant or hired the evil monkey king to slay her. For years she was bitter and cold towards him, never wanting his shadows near her kingdom again. Something about him had softened, become more…human. But so many years ago Katherine had shown her the golden locket, and curiosity had bit furiously at her. And while his heart was somewhat open now to her, she took the opportunity to ask. Part of her was afraid he would immediately shun the statement and threw her to the Fearlings, but part of her felt as if he trusted her enough to share what he did know. As the Guardian of Memories, she had barely any information on the Nightmare King, even as her Palace held his every lost tooth, memories clouded in shadow.

Pitch nodded slightly, his expression stoic. Yes, he had mentioned such a thing before. That was one thing he did remember.. that he was fairly certain off. She was the clearest thing about his past, as she had lived on in his memory much more than anything else had. Anything else was practically non-existent to him, being simply vague strands of memory that he couldn't really get a grasp on. And even the memories of her were vague. Yet something told him that she had been real.. and very much alive. But, by now she was most assuredly dead. No mortal could survive as long as he had. And who knew just what had happened to her when he'd turned? He certainly didn't remember. And thus his flitting memories of his beautiful daughter haunted him, for he had long since given up the idea that he'd see her again. His memories of her were all that he had.

He supposed he could be more open her now. Yes, he had been evil.. and had treated her horrendously in the past. Yet, she was here and was willing to talk to him. And something had broken in him during his last defeat. He was not quite the spirit he had been before hand and he doubted he ever would be again.

"I don't remember her very well." He finally said after a long moment. "But I know she was beautiful. And something makes me want to say that she looked like her mother. She was much to lovely to have resembled me." A smile touched at his lips as he said this. "I only have brief memories, though.. Sometimes not even a full mental image. A touch.. a smile.. a wisp of fabric or a lock of dark hair shining in the sun. But I know she was real and that she meant very much to me."

She knew she should just stop right there. Not say another word. Change the subject. But her heart raced in anticipation. It was almost a craving, a need for knowledge she didn't have. Tooth had the collection of ultimate information at her fingers tips, and yet Pitch was the ultimate mystery. There was a time or two she ventured deep into the caverns of her Tooth files, trying to grasp what little information there was a bout him. She figured back then that she could just ask him, but in those days the war still fought inside her. And here she was in his library being licked by the hot flames and dissecting her way into his mind, picking what little information she could. She took it in like a sponge. "I once saw the picture in the locket. The one of your daughter. Many, many years ago a dear friend showed me before she gave that locket back to you. She was very beautiful," she spoke softly. She knew she was treading on thin ice, but a warm smile spread across her face. "She must take after her father."

"The locket?" This brought a brief memory to his mind… he did indeed remembered this locket. He didn't remember what had happened to it. He knew it had been given to him, but he'd lost it so long ago. Though it was probably a major reason why he remembered her so much more clearly than anything else.

He nodded slowly, his heart suddenly aching. He remembered being given the locket, but not much after that. Perhaps the memories of what had happened after had been wiped from his mind either because they had been too painful for him to endure or because his fearlings had wanted him to forget his past. Very possibly both.

He swallowed around the large lump that had suddenly appeared in his throat; attempting at a small smile, but failing miserably and actually appearing as if he was grimacing painfully. "She couldn't look too much like me, for she would be much more unattractive if she did. Her mother.. her mother was the most beautiful woman I ever met." Another memory flashed into his head.. of a slender woman with long dark hair and startling blue eyes. His memories were resurfacing, and they were tearing him apart inside.


	5. Chapter 5

She knew she hit a soft spot. Part of her wanted to ask more, but the other part of her held back. Pitch's tone, the way his eyes failed to meet hers, it wasn't right. His story was mysterious, dark, depressing. And it struck a thin cord in Tooth's heart. "I-I'm sorry," her head turned to face the floor. Her eyes followed along the patterns in the flooring and her voice was shaky. She sniffled loudly, and her shoulders sank. "You don't have to tell me anymore." Her hand met with her cheek and it was wet. Was she crying? She was so overcome with emotion that she indeed was.

His eyes shot to her with slight surprise. Was she crying… because of him? Because of his past and what he'd gone through? Though his heart was already aching and his chest already heavy, seeing her cry for him caused both to be even more burdened than they already were. So, without another word, he knelt beside her and took her into his arms. He held her to his chest silently. Though he wasn't exactly sure of what he was doing, it felt right.. to comfort someone like this, that is. And while he was comforting, he was also comforted. He just hoped that she didn't mind the contact.

Her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck and she buried her face into his chest. Her wings lay limp against her face and her body was tense. Her fingers softly grasped at the smoothness of the back of his robes. Her chest rose and fell softly with each staggered breath until she sniffled and rose her head to wipe her tears. She noticed that she had gotten the front of his robes wet and attempted to wipe them away, but it had already soaked through the fabric. "I'm really s-sorry," she said quietly, rubbing away the rest of the wetness in her eyes.

As he held her, he ran his hands over the feathers of her back somewhat awkwardly. It was odd holding someone who felt so much like a bird, yet who one knew really wasn't. He'd imagined holding her many times, even if most those times were on a passing whim. It was.. different. But it wasn't unpleasant in the least,even with her crying against him. He shushed her soothingly, giving her a slight smile as she lifted her head. "Shhh, it's alright. A little moisture never hurt anybody." Since his clothing was formed from back sand and shadows, the tears almost immediately seeped through to his skin, though he didn't really even notice. And suddenly he was at a loss. He didn't know what to do next. He couldn't soothe her the way he was compelled to; by drying her tears and kissing her forehead. That wouldn't be right. He couldn't show her how he really felt for her, not yet. So he dropped his arms back to his sides and cleared his throat, his cheeks darkening as he glanced to the side. "Do you feel better now that you've gotten it out a bit?"

She wiped away the small tears that hung onto her long magenta eyelashes. "Yeah, I'm sorry," she sniffled, then laughed awkwardly. "I don't mean to get emotional, but some memories just end up making me get that way. So I uh…I apologize. That was very unprofessional of me," her cheeks pinked in embarrassment. She attempted to wipe the wetness from his cloak, but realized they had already seeped through and she couldn't do anything about it. She batted her wings and hovered in the air before carefully looking around from a literal bird's eye view. The shelves glowed with a golden hue from the cracking fireplace. She spotted a section of his library filled with leather bound books with yellowing pages on animals. She fingered through the volumes and dusted off one with the letter H. "An animal encyclopedia," she said half between a question and a comment. She clung the book to her chest and brought it back down to the table next to Pitch. She opened it up, and a page had been dog-eared on the article on hummingbirds.

He nodded, not sure about what to say. She was being so kind to him right now.. and it made him regret everything he had done in the past even more than he already did. He wanted to apologize, but he wasn't sure if now was the time nor the place. How would he explain? How would he tell her that it wasn't fully him that was responsible? Not his true self, anyways. But that even to him sounded like devious lies spun together by a manipulative mind. Maybe she would be more understanding because she contained many of his past memories, but now wasn't the time to bring something such as that up. Perhaps it was, but he wasn't ready.

So he simply stood and looked up at her as she flitted around, arching a curious brow. He followed her with his hands folded behind his back as she moved along, his silvery-golden orbs following her gaze the best he could. "What is it that you're looking for. Oh, those." A smile turned up the corners of his mouth when she made her choice. "Ah, why am I not surprised?" He leaned over her shoulder as she looked down at the book with her. It was one that he hadn't looked at in quite some time, but that he had enjoyed very much when he had. "I suppose that is what your species is akin too, hmm?" Then his cheeks darkened as he realized what he had said. There were no more other kind, not as far as he knew. Not other than her. "Ah.. I apologize.. I didn't mean.." Damn.. and now he didn't know what to say again. So he simply looked to the side and away from her, awaiting her reaction with trepidation. Why did he have to say something like that? Why?

"Ah hummingbirds? Well, I am closely related to hummingbirds, yes. I wouldn't say I'm particularly close to the trochilidae class of birds though. See, I am part human, you know," she stuck her tongue out and him, and found a seat at the top of the back rest of a neighboring chair. "Now i'm sure you've read this, since you've dog-eared the page and all," she gave him a teasing wink, "you'll know that I can beat my wings up to 80 times per second. Pretty impressive eh? Ah, well, not me. Mine beat much slower than my animalia brethren Well, you might not recall to much form back then, but you were there for some of it, but my father was a servant to a king in the East, and my mother was a creature known as a Sister of Flight. And they had fallen in love and thus sprouted a wee little me! And then of course the forest had turned my father's ruler into a horrible monkey king. Ultimately my mother and father were killed by the monkey king's hands and he searched for my capture. A Sister of Flight and a human's offspring were quite uncommon, and the village hunted for me. But I made do on my own. Unlike the monkey king, the forest treated me well. And then there was the war, uhm…well, we know that you and I were on very opposite ends on that fight…" her voice slowed down a bit and her lids lowered. "But, ah, those were times far, far in the past now, yes? Moved on far from then." She clenched her jaw. She was not normally this emotional about telling the story, as she had told it many times over. She fought back the urge to break down again, but Pitch was here, a changed man, a new soul. At least she had hoped for it. He didn't seem the same as he once was, so cruel and unforgiving. But he led her into his house, showed her his private belongings, and held open arms to her as she cried. He most certainly wasn't the man he once was.

"Ah yes." He nodded slightly, almost visibly relieved that she didn't take offence at his words. "I _did _know that. But I really wouldn't mind hearing it all again." And he really didn't. He listened to each word with interest, enjoying watching her as she spoke. She seemed to enjoy sharing such knowledge, happy to do so even. And that caused a small smile to curl up at his lips. Even the possibly painful events of her past she spoke of without guile or resentment, many of which he indeed knew and caused him to wince. She had such a painful past and yet she took it in stride and with a brave face, which was something that made her truly admirable. Perhaps that is why she took pity on him; why she had been kind enough as to attempt to comfort him.

"Yes, those things are in the past." He said slowly, his golden eyes never leaving her even when she looked down and away. He reached forward hesitantly, pausing a brief moment before he closed the distance and placed one of his hands on hers gently. "It it helps.." He paused and flicked his tongue over his lips before continuing. "If it helps, I _am _sorry for what I have done. I never truly meant to cause so many deaths. Not that way. Or many I did." His own gaze dropped and his eyes turned towards the floor. "I'm not sure anymore."

She inhaled sharply and looked over at him. His shoulders were slumped and his eyes didn't meet hers, but instead they faced the floor. She raised her eyebrows and half smiled. Both of them had been through a lot, and while he was still a giant mystery to her, she could almost sympathize with him. She had seen memories from his past, and the Pitch he once was was not the monster that blacked her world for those few hundred years. But also the Pitch in front of her now was almost as human as the memories that still danced in her head. She leaned over and cupped his chin in a delicate hand and lifted. "Look at me, Pitch. It's alright. I forgive you. Really," she calmly in almost a whisper. "I uhm, I know it must be hard. I'm not really too sure happened, but times have changed, people have changed…hearts have changed," her lips curved into a gentle smile, and her cheeks started to feel warm. His silvery-golden eyes were locked onto her bright magenta ones, and a strange twinge of nervousness made her heart beat at a more quickened pace.

He lifted his head slowly, almost afraid to meet her eyes. But her touch was gentle, and he found that the look in her eyes was as well. This eased his angst somewhat and he gave her a small smile, though the look in his eyes was still pained. All he could do is nod for a moment as he attempted to gather his thoughts around the large swell of emotion he suddenly felt. It was almost enough to make him tear up, but he couldn't let that happen. That only showed weakness; a vulnerability he wasn't ready to fully admit to. All his life he'd only wanted to be accepted and a small part had him felt jilted for being forced into a roll that he knew he had never truly wanted. And now she was showing him that acceptance. "It seems as if you are right. Though if I were you, I wouldn't believe me. I would think it a farce or manipulation of some sort." His gaze left hers once again, but then moved back; shining with earnestness. "But I can assure you that is not that case, if you still had some doubt." He suddenly felt nervous as well, so he pulled back and cleared his throat slightly. He felt a sudden attraction to her, even more so than before, but he quickly stifled it for he didn't quite know what to make of it. "Well.. now that we've gotten that out of the way. What do you wish to do next?" He may have sounded gruff, but that was only to hide his sudden awkwardness. "We could return to our tea, or move on to something else."

"Oh, no doubt at all!" Her eyebrows jumped up and her wings stirred. She bit nervously at her lower lip, and now it seemed she couldn't look him in the face. Instead, she suddenly became interested in the dark wood of the table piled with barely dusty books. "Tea? Ah, yes, I almost forgot about that. Seems ages ago, doesn't it?" she said with a half-hearted chuckle. "Well, uhm, is there anything you'd prefer to do? After all, Mr. Black, this is your home. And I am very grateful to that fact that you have shared what a beautiful home it is indeed." A sweet smile played on her lips. Then a strange though popped into her mind. Possibly she was the first one to see all of these treasures and collectibles he had. She had quickly back-tracked in her mind that Pitch really didn't have any friends, and he really only shared his home with his shadows, which were hardly friends at all. She was suddenly very aware of her presence. Her brightly coloured feathers were shockingly different from the darker colours blending around her. The hand she had resting on the back of a dark leather arm chair seemed to stick out cringingly. She quickly drew it back and held her hands in front of her, wringing her wrists. "I, uhm, I'm okay with what ever you would like to do?" It came out sounding like a question, but the meaning behind it was solid. He was still a mystery, but one that she was determined to solve.


End file.
